1950 "Fourth Printing 1950" stated on copyright page; Hermitage House publishers; good condition with unmarked pages and minor page ageing; boards are good with minor ageing and some wear; no dust jacket.
 
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Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health is a book by L. Ron Hubbard about Dianetics, a system of psychotherapy he developed from a combination of personal experience, basic principles of Eastern philosophy, and the work of psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud. The book is a canonical text of Scientology. It is colloquially referred to as Book One. The book launched the movement, which later defined itself as a religion, in 1950. As of 2013, New Era Publications, the international publishing company of Hubbard's works, sells this book in English and in fifty other languages.
 
In this best-selling book, Hubbard wrote that he had isolated the "dynamic principle of existence," which he states as "Survive," and presents his description of the human mind. He identifies the source of "human aberration" as the "reactive mind," a normally hidden but always conscious area of the mind, and certain traumatic memories ("engrams") stored in it. Dianetics describes counselling (or "auditing") techniques which Hubbard claimed would get rid of engrams and bring major therapeutic benefits.
 
Hubbard was criticized by scientists and medical professionals, who charge that he presents these claims in superficially scientific language but without evidence. Despite this, Dianetics proved a major commercial success on its publication.